This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-361587, filed Nov. 28, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information terminal apparatus in which an electronic device is carried. Particularly, the present invention relates to an improvement in prevention of detachment of a built-in electronic device due to an external impact when the detachable built-in electronic device is attached to the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, as a portable information terminal apparatus having an electronic device therein, various apparatuses such as a radio communication device such as a cellular phone, a personal computer, a remote-control unit, and a handy-type barcode reader have been known.
Since the portable information terminal apparatus is manufactured with emphasis on reduction in size and weight, basic functions and basic performance capabilities are narrowed to reduce parts to be carried to some extent. Accordingly, the apparatus has a connector constitution in which a built-in electronic device can be added or replaced detachably. Various built-in electronic devices having an optional function is attached as necessary.
As a built-in electronic device, for example, there is a card-shaped storage medium (hereinbelow, referred to as a memory card) in which a flash memory for storing data is carried. Generally, there is a limit in the storage capacity of a main memory in a main body of the apparatus. Accordingly, basic software and main application software are stored in the main memory and data is stored in the detachable memory card.
As to attachment, in many cases, the abovementioned built-in electronic device such as a memory card is inserted into a slot and is then fitted to a connector. To realize easy attachment or detachment of the device by the user, the device is merely inserted, whereby the attachment is completed without fixing with a screw.
Ordinarily, the user carries the portable information terminal apparatus. Accordingly, due to carelessness, an external impact is applied to the apparatus in many cases (for example, the impact is generated because the user bumps or falls the apparatus).
In consideration of the fact, the apparatus main body has a constitution or cover to absorb the impact to avoid damage. In the built-in electronic device as well, when receiving the impact, the device may be detached from the connector. When the connector detachment occurs, data cannot be transmitted or received. As to data which is not recorded yet, a power source must be turned off to again attach the memory card in some cases. At that time, the unrecorded data may be lost. When the apparatus is operated in a state in which the memory card is partly detached, the memory card itself may be damaged.
As a measure against the connector detachment, various means have been considered.
Most of the portable information terminal apparatuses have a constitution in which the memory card is inserted through the slot opened outside and is then fitted to the connector. In the constitution, the memory card is attached while one part thereof is being exposed to the outside and a nail portion for lock, which is provided on the side surface of the apparatus, is engaged with a recess or the like on the side surface of the memory card to prevent the detachment. In the state in which one part of the memory card is exposed, the memory card can be detached easily but the memory card is influenced by an environmental problem (water or dust easily enters the memory card).
A constitution in which the memory card is disposed in the apparatus to reduce the influence due to the environment has been examined. For example, according to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 11-17792, in a portable receiving apparatus as an example, there is proposed a technique in that a battery cover prevents an ROM socket, to which an ROM is attached and which can be hinged, from being raised to avoid the movement of a memory chip. An electrode of the ROM is provided on the main surface side and is come into contact with an ROM contact with pressure to realize electrical connection. Accordingly, out-of-contact due to the movement in the horizontal direction with respect to the contact plane has a large allowance range. In an example in which a memory chip is fitted into the receiving apparatus according to another embodiment, the memory chip may be come off as much as a clearance between the memory chip and the battery cover.
As mentioned above, in the connection to the connector through a terminal, the attached built-in electronic device is fixed surely to avoid connector detachment and, even when the device is detached, the device is restricted within a range where the operation is not influenced completely, or else the abovementioned problems occur.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable information terminal apparatus in which a stopper mechanism with a simple constitution is provided, so that even when an external impact is applied, an attached built-in electronic device that is detachable can be prevented from being detached over an allowance range. It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable information terminal apparatus with a simple constitution, in which impact-resistant properties and water-resistant properties for a detachable built-in electronic device can be improved.
To accomplish the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal apparatus including: an information input portion; a circuit board having a CPU for processing inputted information; a display portion for displaying information; a detachable card-shaped electronic device; an internal battery for supplying an electric power driving the components; a battery receiving portion for receiving the internal battery; a detachable battery cover for covering the battery receiving portion; a connector including a connecting terminal for transmitting or receiving a signal to/from the card-shaped electronic device, in which the card-shaped electronic device is inserted to be held; and a stopper mechanism for preventing the card-shaped electronic device from being detached from the connector.
The stopper mechanism may be integrally provided for the connector and may include a restricting member for restricting the movement of the card-shaped electronic device in the detaching direction (opposite to the attaching direction).
The restricting member may include: an elastic member constituted so as to be changeable between a first state in which the card-shaped electronic device can be attached or detached to/from the connector and a second state in which the card-shaped electronic device is restricted from being detached from the connector; and a holding member for holding the elastic member in the second state.
The battery receiving portion may include: an opening through which the card-shaped electronic device is attached or detached to/from the connector arranged in a main body of the apparatus; and a connector door member for covering the opening for the connector, and the connector door member has a projecting portion for pressing the elastic member to hold the member in the second state.
Further, the battery receiving portion may include: an opening through which the card-shaped electronic device is attached or detached to/from the connector arranged in a main body of the apparatus; and a connector door member for covering the opening for the connector, in which the stopper mechanism is arranged. The stopper mechanism, which is arranged in the connector door member, may include a connector door board, a key member, a fixing hook portion, and a wedge-shaped stopper member, and the key member is slid, the wedge-shaped stopper member is come into contact with the card-shaped electronic device so as to push the card-shaped electronic device, and after that, the key member is engaged with the fixing hook portion, thereby preventing the card-shaped electronic device from being detached from the connector. The holding member may be a projecting portion formed on the rear surface of the battery cover.
Furthermore, to accomplish the above objects of the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal apparatus including: an information input portion; a circuit board having a CPU for processing inputted information; a display portion for displaying information; a detachable card-shaped electronic device; an internal battery for supplying an electric power driving the components; a battery receiving portion for receiving the internal battery; and a detachable battery cover for covering the battery receiving portion, wherein the battery receiving portion includes: an opening through which the card-shaped electronic device is attached or detached to/from a connector disposed in a main body of the apparatus; and a connector door member for covering the opening for the connector, and only when the battery cover and the connector door member are detached, the card-shaped electronic device can be detached.
In the above-mentioned constitutions, the detachable card-shaped electronic device may be a card-shaped storage medium (memory card) having any one of recording means such as a semiconductor memory device, a CD-R, a DVD-RAM, an MO (magneto-optical disk), and a hard disk.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.